Lying supine (head, chest, and palms facing up) on a floor mat, bend your knees and place your heels close to buttocks (within fingertip reach). Squeeze your gluteal muscles (butt!) and your raise low back, buttocks, and hamstrings (back of thigh) off mat. From this position, lift and extend one leg and hold for 8 to 10 seconds. Lower leg and repeat on other side.

Begin with your heels about 6 inches apart and toes turn outward. Hold a Body Bar in front of you with your arms extended. Lift onto the balls of your feet, and lower to a squat position until your thighs are parallel to the floor and your legs create a diamond shape. Rise up, squeezing your inner thighs (adductor muscle group).

Regression: Avoid lifting to the balls of your feet – keeping the entire sole of your foot intact with floor during movement will increase stability.

Perform this exercise with a box or bench. Start with one foot next to the edge of the box or bench and the other leg suspended (next to edge of box or bench) with the flexed foot position. Lower the suspended leg down to the floor, push off with the ball of your foot, and return to the starting position. Repeat exercise on the other side.

Perform exercise in the prone position (stomach on Swiss ball). Place the ball at your waist and lower abdominals. Extend your right arm and left leg, squeezing between your gluteals and drawing your shoulder blades together. Repeat on other side, extending your left arm and right leg.

Regression: Perform exercise in a quadruped position (on hands and knees).

Progression: Hold a light dumbbell in each hand and/or place weight around your ankles.

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About rrluthi

Certified fitness expert with a passion for educating and empowering the 55 and better "chronologically-enriched" population about the benefits of adopting and maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle, preventing injury, and feeling good. Proven strengths applying cutting-edge fitness/wellness concepts and research through roles as a health coach, fitness trainer, and group exercise instructor—in addition to promoting these concepts in a more systematic way through blogging and social media, community outreach, public speaking, corporate wellness program facilitation and senior fitness program support.